Lapses in Judgement
by ThePrincessTurk
Summary: Balem promised that he would never fall in love again. When he meets a young girl from Earth she does her best to change his mind. Will she win over his heart, or will his playboy brother Titus get in their way.
1. Chapter 1

Once Balem was happy. Back when his mother was alive he needn't worry about such trivial manners such as ruling earth. He was free and shared a bond with his mother that his siblings wouldn't understand. Titus thought he knew her. Sure he could read her face like a book, but most people could if they knew her well enough. Kalique and her mother weren't very close. It was an average familial relationship, they loved each other to an extent but nothing more. Balem however had been her outlet and in return she had been the one who truly understood him. Deep down they were alike in nature, but unlike him she was able to make friends and put on a facade. Perhaps that was where Titus got his tendencies to lie. Balem never was one for lying, preferring to be frank in his business. Never cutting around corners still got him where he needed. Not always as seamlessly as Titus at first, but as Titus's betrayals became more obvious Balem's work would remain intact.

Things weren't perfect by any means. Even Balem couldn't deny how inhumane the harvests really were, and how selfish and greedy it was to steal peoples lives just to extend their own. But as much as he hated the idea, eternal life enticed him. As it did with his mother. She clung to life, valuing her life more than her children it seemed at times. Her business was booming and the Abrasux family was becoming more and more well known. Over time they were called royals, simply because of their production of youth serum. It was exhilarating, knowing how many people depended on him and his family. It began to tear on him however, the millions of lives needed for eternal youth was taxing. Sure, they weren't the ones to kill. They were simply the ones who called for the harvest. No matter how many times Balem told himself he wasn't a murderer, everything led back to him.

Everyone has a breaking point. As time went on Balem lost any empathy he once had. He was cold and calculating, no longer caring for the lives lost. He would do whatever was necessary to be seen as better in his mothers eyes. Once he was her favorite without question, their bond was on a deeper level than that of his siblings. Now she seemed to be slipping away from all of them. Leaving the three siblings to vie for her attention. As her eldest he was to be perfect, no mistakes would be tolerated. He tortured, killed and stole to get what he needed. All that mattered was to be better, he would not fail her again.

As a child, Balem's mother was all that he had. While his siblings were off making friends, as Kalique did, and lovers, in Titus's case, he was busy studying. He had no need for friends as long as he had her approval. All he needed was for her to be happy and she would do the same. The other kids would tease him, he wasn't attractive like his brother, or naturally charismatic as his sister was, instead he was deadly smart. Someday it would be an incredible asset, but it further isolated him from the children his age. As he grew older, his mother was his only friend, the only one to be there for him. He grew reliant on her praise, needing her to reassure him that he wasn't worthless. Balem needed to be best in her eyes, to be any different would be considered failure.

His mother came to hate the harvesting, and in turn the youth serum. The use of others lives to sustain her own was no longer an option and she made moves to stop the business. Balem knew that his mother was going to die. Whether it would be by old age, a political enemy, or even by his own hand he didn't know. She had made a lot of enemies in her life, and now the public was turning against her. The youth serum had been a part of their lives for thousands of years and now she sought to change it. He worried for his mothers safely and for that of his business. If his mother was successful than his life's work would go down the drain. He, along with the rest of his family would be left penniless.

Despite popular belief Balem wasn't heartless. He cared very deeply for his family and wanted nothing more than to make sure they were ok. He also cared for himself and his well being and over the years he was no longer sure what was more important. When he faced his mother about her decisions, it was unclear which motivated him. He tried to tell her what she was doing and how it would affect her family, along with the rest of her people, but she wouldn't listen. As the fight went on his temper rose and he snapped. A red haze overcame his vision and he was certain that he wasn't thinking clearly, but he couldn't stop. With each hit, his rage grew. All those years he had spent doing his best to please her and she decided to push him away because of her guilt. It sickened him. So as she lay, bloody on the floor begging for him to kill her, telling him how much she hated her life now, he lost it.

There was nothing he regretted more than what he did that day. However he could see why he did it and over the years the he hardened himself to the reality that he would never see him beloved mother again. He bottled up his emotions, only letting them out when there was no one to see it. He would be perfect even without her there, cold and calculating. He couldn't afford to let him emotions show, so no one could use it against him. He would never love again, he didn't know if he could handle the pain.


	2. Chapter 2

Balem was annoyed. He had been called out of a meeting with his closest advisors by his siblings for a supposedly urgent message. Knowing that it was by no means to be an exchange of pleasantries, he couldn't help but wonder what it was they wanted this time. They couldn't have chosen a worse time, managing whole planets full of people was no easy job. Especially as they were no where near as developed as his own race. It was easier to see them as something less than human if he thought about it like that. Much like cattle they were bred simply to be killed and put to other uses. If he saw it as anything different, he couldn't be sure of what he would do.

He always said that his mother understood him more than anyone. For the most part it was true, but lately it hadn't been a good thing. Lady Abrasax had grown soft in her old age, and Balem found it hard not to see the harvest in the same way. Sure, it was a vital part of their lifestyle, but it didn't mean it was right. Balem was expected to be cruel and concise, everything his mother had been to the public. The house of Abrasax would never show mercy and neither would he. As much as he despised the role he had been forced into, as time went on the more natural it felt. At times his temper seemed to be just as bad when he was alone as it was around other people. The compassion he had once felt for other was slowly draining away. Perhaps why that was why he had grown to hate himself more and more over time.

Sometimes he couldn't help but find his siblings sickening, though it was mostly Titus. His brother stood with two scantily clad women plastered to his side. Running his hand over his chest and every so slowly inching down words. Titus's lip curled up, a smug smirk spreading across his face as his saw his brother.

"It's been too long brother." He drawled, his voice like silk. Stepping forward away from his two companions, he gave a mock bow. Balem scowled slightly, not at all amused by his brothers antics.

"Not long enough." Balem said shortly,"Where is Kalique? You said she would also be attending." A slow grin spread across Titus's face and the women moved to his side, resuming in their earlier movements.

"I lied," Titus paused to gauge his brothers reactions. His face tightened much as Titus suspected it would, he was so very like their mother. Balem wasn't sure what his brother wanted, but whatever it was he was sure that he didn't want to be involved. His brother was a chronic liar, often using it to get exactly what he wanted. He seemed so sweet, so charming, until he cheated you out of all your money that was. Balem knew better than to trust him, too many times he had been screwed over by his brother. "Why don't we continue this conversation in my office. I have many matters to attend to, this meeting was a bit last moment you see."

"Why don't you just tell me what you want, so that we can both get on with our work them?" Balem asked, his whispery voice barely audible. Glancing warily around him, he surveyed all the exits in case Titus tried to pull something on him.

"Don't you miss me brother, some familial bonding is much needed. Especially after what happened to mothe-" Balem hissed and lunged forward, shoving his brother into a wall. The women at his side scattered, watching the brothers.

"Don't use her as an excuse." He roared, shaking with rage. Releasing Titus, he took several deep breaths to calm himself. He couldn't afford to let his emotions to control his like this. With that thought in mind he carefully moulded his face back to its earlier emotionless state.

"Finish your business with me, I have a meeting to return to." His voice returning to its normal whisper.

"What would you think of a business partnership, if we were to merge our companies we would be unstoppable. Why, even Kalique would fold beneath us, we could be brothers again."Titus's voice took on a pleading tone. It was obviously well practiced, had he not known his brother it would've been easy to fall for his tricks.

"What so you could steal my inheritance along with company from right under me? I'm not the fool you take me to be." Titus frowned at Balem's response, a wounded look crossing his face. Like moths to a flame, the women returned to him attempting to comfort him in whatever way possible.

"Why do you think so lowly of me, brother. We used to be so close, I simply wanted to renew our bonds." Balem raised a delicate eyebrow, not believing a word his brother said. They had never been close. His younger brother had always prefered the company of their sister, finding Balem to be rather boring. While they acknowledged that Balem was family, there was no deeper bond.

"Don't lie to me. I'm not one of your pawns. You cannot control my actions and I will not be so easily swayed by your charms." His brothers ways sickened him. He wrapped people around his finger and used them to fulfil his whims and disposed of them as soon as he was done. The girls at his arm would probably be gone within a week, replaced with another pair of naive women who thought they actually meant something. Balem was by no means a saint either, he was cruel and had a temper that could rival that of his mothers. He had a dark side that he couldn't control, no matter how badly he wanted too. He was honest however, even too honest at times. Perhaps difference in their moral beliefs was the cause of the tension between the brothers.

"Very well than, it was worth a shot. " Titus grinned, "Did I put on a good show?" He asked, his smile fading slightly as he saw his brother face. Balem's jaw tightened and he fought keep his annoyance off of his face.

"As always." He rolled his eyes, "Now what did you really call me here for?" Balem asked, his voice shifted slightly and glanced up at his brothers face. Losing the playful smile, Titus stepped away from his lovers.

"She's back," Titus watched his brothers reaction carefully, knowing that the knowledge could very well set him off. "And I think we've located her." Heart racing Balem turned to leave. This wasn't right, she was supposed to be dead. He had worked so hard to loosen her influence on his and his life. All of his work would be ripped to shreds. Barely able to keep himself calm, he repeated one phase in his head over and over. I will not show emotions, not anymore, not ever again.

"Don't think I will let you win so easily this time, you won't be her favorite. Not this time." Titus called after his brother, his eyes following his retreating figure.

**So what do you guys think so far, this is my first story so I have a ton to improve. Please leave me a review, follow and favorite. Also any advise on my OC, give me ideas. I'm not quite sure of a name and appearance. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

Malia flipped through her ipod under the table. She glanced up occasionally to make sure the professor hadn't noticed her lack of attention. Majoring in Liberal Arts had been a mistake. She had hoped it would be an easy class. She wanted to breeze through college as she had no plans for her life, she just wanted to get on with it. At the same time she wasn't exactly sure of her calling, she had always had an interest in astrology but never had the desire to be a scientist. So she went with the next best option. Writing had always been a passion of hers. But reading for hours on end and writing what seemed to be hundreds of papers was definitely not her style. To make it worse her teacher, with his boring lectures and monotonous voice, put her to sleep nearly every day. Many days she contemplated dropping out of college all together and working at some run down fast food joint instead. Maybe if she was luck she could land a job as a waitress instead. They made enough money to live on, right?

"Now when writing your satire tonight don't forget what I told you about the proper form. I expect to have 5 pages done by our next class. Also make sure to read the next chapter of the textbook." Malia let out a sigh of relief and stood. Music still blared from her earbuds and she collected her stuff and hurriedly shoved it in her bag. Rushing past groups of chattering students, she exited the lecture hall. There was nothing she hated more than 's class. She didn't like much nowadays, there was something so unfulfilling about her life. It was almost as though she was missing something vital. It wasn't easy to explain and many times before her family and friends tried to pass it off as depression. This just felt like something different to her, it was a longing for something more. Something that wasn't being fulfilled in her life.

The sun dipped low on the horizon as she began the long walk home. Due to a series of unfortunate events her car had broken down about a month ago. Her parents who were already paying for her college expenses couldn't afford to get her a new one, so she settled with walking. It was nice to be honest, it gave her a chance to unwind before beginning the nights homework. Not that she would get much done, her roommate was often the cause of nights spent doing nothing productive. Not that she minded, many times she was happy for the distraction.

In some manners her roommate, June, was a lot like her. June was into the same bands, wore similar clothes and they both majored in Liberal Arts. However June was much more outspoken, was charismatic and overall was much more friendly. June was the kind of girl everyone loves, she loved to have fun and something about her just drew people in. Malia however seemed more quiet and reserved. Preferring to share her thoughts with only those closest to her. However with those she knew, she wasn't afraid to say what she thought when she thought it.

A loud boom in the distance made her jump in surprise, shaking her out of her thoughts. She glanced towards her left where the sound had come from. Malia's jaw dropped. Something large and metal had crashed into the side of a skyscraper, leaving a smoking gaping hole. She contemplated continuing on her way for a few moments. Turning away she took about three more steps in the direction of her apartment. Her curiosity got the better of her however and she turned back. As she watched a lone figure stumbled out of the wreckage and collapsed on the sidewalk. She frowned and ran towards them, knowing that it would likely take her several minutes to get there.

Finally she was nearly there, only about two blocks away from the building. Something else moved from within the building. It clearly wasn't human, for a moment Malia thought it was a dog of some sort. Moments later it stood, making it painfully obvious that whatever it was wasn't normal. It was extremely pale and skinny, its body type closely resembling that of a human child. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, it was almost like some sort of alien. As crazy as it sounded, Malia was certain that no makeup could have created something like that. As she drew nearer the more nervous she became, it was had moved over next to the figure on the ground. It picked up a piece of glass from the ground and raised it above its head.

"No!" She screamed, sprinting forward. She slammed into the creature, knocking it to the side. The glass shard went flying from it's hand and its head hit the ground with a loud crack. It screamed and bared it teeth in rage. It began to struggle beneath her screeching loudly. Releasing one of it's shoulders, she drew back her fist. Slamming it down on it's face, she felt a satisfying crunch as it's nose crumpled. It growled feraly and shoved her off of it and leapt to it's feet, blood pouring from it's nose. Malia stumbled back, nearly tripping over the curb as she moved into the street. Moving forward, it slammed into her legs and knocked her to the ground. It moved towards another glass shard and she took her change. Shoving forward, she pushed it back onto the ground. It's head hit the ground once more with a loud crash. Moments later the creature went limp and it's eyes closed. Malia warily released her grip and pushed herself to her feet.

Turning towards the unconscious figure behind her, she knelt down and leaned forward to check the pulse. A sudden pain exploded in the back of her temple and she fell forward. A wave of dizziness filled her and she fought to keep her eyes open. She slowly felt herself drifting off into darkness, when a sudden weight landed on her back. Her eyes shot fully open and the world slowly shifted into focus. The creature yanked her head up by her hair and smashed it back into the ground. Another wave of pain and dizziness crashed over Malia and she struggled not to pass out. "Please, stop." She begged, as it smashed her head into the ground again and again. As darkness gathered at the edge of her vision, she let herself go and passed out.

So I'm not sure about this so far, so tell me your thoughts and such. Thanks for reading! Follow, Favorite and leave a review please. :)**iew please. :) Also I need characters, if you'd like to be in my story pm me, I'd love you have you in my story.**


	4. Chapter 4

Malia woke with a pounding headache. She wearily opened her eyes and glanced around. Her vision was slightly blurry and took her several moments to realize where she was. White walls surrounded her and a loud beeping sounded in the distance. The overwhelming scent of disinfectant flooded through her senses. God, she hated hospitals They reminded her of death and injury, plus to make everything worse the food sucked. Even President Nixon had hated hospitals, if she remembered correctly he once said that if he entered the hospital he would die.

A wave of pain coursed through her, radiating from the back of her head. Thinking back she struggled to remember what had happened. Everything after leaving class was blank, maybe she had passed out on the way home. She pushed herself up and propped herself against the back of her bed. Something wasn't right, did she really hit her head hard enough to cause amnesia? Would a simple fall even cause that kind of damage. Closing her eyes she let her head fall back against the wall, wincing in pain when it hit the headboard. The one thing she could always rely on was herself and now she couldn't even do that. Why was she unable to remember? Had she been drugged?

The door creaked open and Malia opened her eyes. June stood in the doorway, her wavy brown hair in disarray. Not seeming to realize that Malia was awake she leaned against the wall and ran a hand through her hair, her fingers getting tangled in the knots. Malia allowed her eyes to close again for a minute, preferring the silence to the flurry of questions she was sure to get once June realised she was awake. June was the type of person who had to know everything about everyone. There was nothing she hated more than being out of the loop. Malia valued her privacy however, it was yet another difference between the two roommates.

Malia let out a loud yawn and opened her eyes, deciding not to prolong the inevitable. Maybe if she got it over with she could take a nap. She had no clue how long she had been sleeping but it felt like she hadn't slept in days. Her eyelids were heavy and her movements were slow.

"Lia!" June exclaimed, rushing over to her bed. "How do you feel, does your head hurt? I can go get the nurse-"

"Calm down I'm fine, it's just a little bump." Malia muttered, fighting back another yawn. June gave her a blank look and shook her head. Malia slowly reached up and touched the back of her head. It was wrapped in bandages. She frowned, surely it wasn't that bad. "Okay so it's not just a bump, but it's not a big deal. I'm fine." Malia smiled reassuringly at her roommate.

"They thought you were going to die," June spoke slowly, as though afraid of how Malia would react. "In fact they told me you weren't going to wake up. Surgery didn't go as well as hoped and you sustained serious damage to your head. There was a 90% chance you had some sort of brain damage." June bit her lip and put a hand on Malia's shoulder. "Are you sure you feel okay, I can get you pain killers or something." Malia shook her head, she was fine. With every passing second she felt better. Her vision was now clear and the pain in her head was lessening. More than anything she was hungry, famished even. She had regular eating habits and her body was protesting it's change of routine.

"There is something you could get me." Malia began, picking at her nails. She glanced up at her friend, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"What?" June asked, looking sceptical. "I swear to God if you're asking me for another sandwich, Lia." Pouting slightly Malia looked up at her friend, her brown eyes wide. "I'm not your slave!" Malia stuck out her tongue, giving up the puppy dog look and instead sticking her tongue out at her friend.

"But I'm hurt, do you expect me to get my own sandwich?" She exclaimed, sounding slightly offended. "All this time I thought you were my friend." She sniffed dramatically, willing a few tears to spring to her eyes. "Why don't you care about me anymore?" She wailed, "I thought we were in it together." Junes eyes widened as Malia got louder. She hurriedly put a finger to her lips, shushing her.

"Fine, I'll get you the sandwich." June grumbled, glaring at her friend. She turned and left, leaving Malia in silence once more. Letting out a soft sigh, Malia closed her eyes. Something still didn't feel quite right. She pondered it for several moments, interrupted only by the sound of her stomach growling.

Much sooner than Malia had expected the door opened again. She slowly opened her eyes, already tasting the sandwich she would soon be eating. It wasn't June at the door however, a tall man in a white jacket walked through the door. He had light brown hair that was about shoulder length and dark eyes. There was something about him that was almost familiar, maybe she had seen him somewhere, the supermarket maybe. He smiled brightly at her when he saw she was awake

"I'm glad to see you're awake Ms.-" He paused and looked down at the chart, "Peters. I'm your doctor for today. Now, are you feeling any pain?" He asked, his pen already out so that he could record her answers. Malia shook her head and suppressed a sigh. June needed to hurry up, she could really use that sandwich right about now. "None at all?" He questioned, Malia said nothing and nodded again. "Good, it seems I've done my job well. We'll have to do a few tests to make sure you ok, but we should be able to discharge you tomorrow if all goes well." He smiled breathtakingly and Malia found it hard to breath. Charming men had always been a weakness, granted they were all jerks. It was sort of like her guilty pleasure, she knew they were no good but kept falling for them anyways. He cleared his throat and she snapped back out of her thoughts. "I'll get an MRI set up, it should be about an hour. Until then, I'll have to ask you not to make any trips further than to the bathroom." He turned and walked back to the door. Opening it he glanced back once more. "I must say you are beautiful ." He said with a wink.

**Thank you so much for reading this far, please review and PM me if you'd like to see your character in my story. I'm attempting to post about 1000 words daily and if I miss a day I'm so sorry but I have finals coming up and I need to stufy :( SO yeah, see you all tomorrow. **


	5. Chapter 5

Balem sighed resting his head on his hands. He was bored. Sick and tired of never ending meetings and political arrangements. Of course all this came with his an endless list of other responsibilities. Running a planet was a lot more work than it was worth. Things would be so much easier if he could harvest the planet and just be done with it. He couldn't though, it was his last connection with his mother. It was his reminder of the women she once was and of the things she treasured. Earth had always been her favorite, something about it put it apart from the countless others. Earth's majestic mountains and deep oceans did had have a certain charm, he had to admit. All the same it had more uses than its physical appeal, a more lasting effect.

The man before Balem cleared his throat loudly, shaking Balem out of his thoughts. Blinking slowly Balem noticed several papers the man had extended towards him. Quickly grabbing them, he flicked through the pages and scanned the content. Nothing particularly bad popped out and he plucked a pen from his desk. Leaning over for a better angle, he penned his signature.

"Is there anymore you need? Or is there something else you'd like to discus?" Balem looked up, pushing the papers back towards his new business partner. One easy way to expand his company was to simply absorb any all all competition. With the exception of his siblings that was exactly what he did. The business man paused, looking tempted to ask for more. After several moments of indecision he shook his head. "It was a pleasure." Balems murmured quietly, signaling an assistant by the door. The assistant hurriedly opened the door and escorted the business man by the door.

Balem slumped onto his desk, feeling emotionally drained. To the public eye he was perfect, not because he was seemingly kind and charismatic like his siblings, but because he was real. Sure, he was cold and calculating, even cruel at times, but he didn't try to hide who he was. He would make no mistakes, he would not show weakness and more than anything he could never allow his emotions to control him.

Gathering himself, he sat up and returned to his large stack of paperwork. Groaning quietly to himself he uncapped his pen and threw himself into his work. He was interrupted however by a loud knock on his door. Pausing mid signature he recapped his pen and made himself more presentable.

"Enter," He said, his whispery voice barely audible. Somehow they had heard him and the door creaked open. His sister stepped through the door, and gently closed it after her. "What is it you need, sister?" He questioned quietly, leaning back into his chair. Kalique sat across for his desk and watched him for a moment.

"I heard from Titus the other day," She said carefully, gauging his reaction. Like always he didn't show much emotion, but he seemed almost intrigued. "He said she was back, is it true?" Kalique asked, almost dreading the answer. Balem frowned and leaned forward across his desk.

"It doesn't involve you," He hissed, his voice deadly calm. "She isn't who she used to be, everything's different now." He frowned, returning to his earlier relaxed position. Kalique sighed, and clasped her hands on her lap.

"You need to let go, emotions aren't a bad thing. You just need to accept what happened, and move on with-"

"I don't need your lectures" Balem interrupted, his voice a low growl. Kalique sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"I was close to her too, you know." She murmured, leaning forward to lay a hand on her brothers arm. He flinched slightly at her touch, but made no move to remove her hand. "You need to understand that what happened wasn't your fault. You don't need to blame yourself and your emotions for what happened." Balem clenched his jaw and shut his eyes tightly, fighting back memories. "Just remember her for the good things." She soothed, her voice a gentle lull inside his head. Just for a moment he let himself slip and the memories came flooding in.

_Sunshine shone brightly through the windows of his mother villa. Even now after hundreds of years, he couldn't bring himself to leave his mother. He told himself that it was because she would be lonely without him. Be that as it may however, even he knew that he was the problem. He was still unable to face the world without her by his side, he was too weak. Still, it was nice. It was a seaside house built by a lesser species, a bit plain but to him it was home. The only place where he had ever belonged. _

_Letting out a contented sigh he leaned back in his couch. His book was cradled in his arms, long forgotten in favor of the window view. One would think that eventually the view would grow old, but Balem never did. The ocean was like a living creature, unpredictable but beautiful. You could never tell what each day would bring. It was true beauty, something about this planet that had never been replicated. With a warm summer breeze drifting through the open balcony and sunlight warming his body, he slowly drifted off._

_The sound of voices from outside his room woke him. He ran a hand through his hair, and smoothed it down. Yawning slightly he walked to the door and opened it. Just down the hall his mother stood with three others. An ambassador from another planet and his family no doubt. He turned to return to his room when another figure caught his eye. Several feet away from the rest of the group admiring a painting was a girl. She had wavy red hair that flowed down to her waist, and a tall slender figure. She wore a long blue dress, with sleeves extended past her fingertips. As if sensing his gaze upon her, she turned. Her face was even more beautiful than the rest of her, with high cheek bone and deep blue eyes. Her pale skin was dusted with freckles and pale pink lips completed the look. _

_She glanced back at the others for a brief moment before turning and walking towards Balem. Raising an eyebrow at her approach he leaned against the door frame. She smiled and offered him a small curtsey before offering him her hand. _

"_Hello, I'm Selene. You must be Balem." Taking her hand and nodded. She flashed him a brighter grin, "Now I don't know about you but all this political talk sickens me. Would you accompany me on a walk around the gardens?" _

Snapping back into reality, Balem remained impassive. refusing to show any sort of weakness to his sister. He refused to think of her anymore. Overtime she had broken his barriers, as well as his heart. He couldn't afford to think of such emotions, for fear they would surface.

"Was that the whole purpose of your visit?" He questioned his sister, in an attempt to be rid of her sooner. He seemed to be saying that a lot lately, nothing seemed to have much meaning. Things he once took pleasure in began to bore him, eternity was a long time to suffer alone. She nodded and stood.

"You're right not to let your emotions control you, but you need them in order to live. Promise me that you'll try. I don't want to watch you waste away."

**I'm not quite sure about this one, but tell me what you think. Each review I get makes me sooo happy, I can't believe people actually are reading and seem to like this. So review, fan and follow please. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

Malia stood at the hospital, waiting for June to catch up. Her friend lagged behind, having seen an old friend and of course felt the need to catch up. She frowned, staring out the doors at the bright world beyond. The city was calm, a reddish glow cast by the setting sun illuminating the buildings. She sighed and rested her head against the glass and closed her eyes. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't remember what happened. Fragmented bits shone through, but it was like trying to put a puzzle together without the picture. None of it made any sense, a building in the distance, someone lying on the ground and a shard of glass. Had they not tested her, she would've blamed her memory loss on some sort of drug.

June soon reappeared at her friends side and they exited the hospital. Malia walked quietly, lost in her thoughts, as June blabbered on about school and all the things she's missed. Apparently June had held the party of a lifetime the night before and had hooked up a hot frat boy. Malia couldn't care less, to be honest she was grateful that she missed it. Otherwise she would've sat there as people trashed their room and made out on her bed, didn't sound like much fun to her. Malia was worried when it came to school work however. She had only missed three days, but there was sure to be mountains of homework to catch up on. Not to mention finals were in a week, at least after that she would have the summer to relax.

"I was thinking that we go to California for the summer." June exclaimed, stopping in her tracks. Malia paused and turned back towards her friend. "You, know to get you mind off of things!" She grinned and pulled out her phone, flicking through it for a moment. "My aunt said we could go to her beach house for a month or two with a few of our friends. I figured since you weren't that close with your family you might want to come with me." She trailed off and Malia sighed.

"I don't know."June pouted, her eyes growing large. Malia scowled, looking away from her friend and stubbornly shook her head. She would not fall to her friends charms. not this time. Malia resumed her walking and unwrapped her earbuds from around her phone. "There is a way." She stated, sticking an earbud in her ear as she walked. June darted forward, grabbing her friends wrist.

"What? You can't make me go alone, I'll do anything." Still pouting, her friend dropped to her knees and her arms extended in a pleading motion. Malia let a small smirk play across her lips and she turned back towards her friend.

"Anything?" She asked, shaking her friends hands off of her. June nodded eagerly, jumping to her feets. "I want you to be my personal chef for the whole trip and make me whatever, whenever I want it." She stuck her hand out as if to shake on it, a wide grin crossing her face. June scowled at her but shook her roommates hand.

"Maybe I shouldn't have majored in culinary arts." She muttered, sticking her tongue out at her friend. Malia simply inserted her earbud and pressed play on her music. She let the soft music flow through her, and focusing on the lyrics.

_Looking for something I've never seen_

_Alone and I'm in between_

_The place that I'm from and_

_The place that I'm in_

_A city I've never been_

A faint smile crossed her lips at the lyrics, The Fray's lyrics usually spoke to her in one way or another. It wasn't quite her style though, a little too soft for her tastes. Humming slightly she continued on her way. Several minutes later they reached the dorm and Malia unlocked the door. She dropped her bag at the door and threw herself on her bed. Telling herself that she'd finish her homework later she fell asleep.

_She was so bored and the road never seemed to end. Her parents were visiting yet another stuck up family, whose money was sure to be made using unethical methods. She hadn't bothered to research who this time. It was always the same, high up officials with loads of money. Not that she could say much, her parents were the exact same. A few years ago they had mysteriously come across a large sum of money and not even their own daughter knew how. She had her suspicions though and she had no doubt that it wasn't legal._

_Finally they came to a stop before a seaside mansion. It's sweeping lawns and carefully manicured lawns surrounded a tall stone building. We'd stopped by the doors of an iron gate, the butler, she was assuming at least, stood nearby. At our approach he quickly moved to open the gates and allowed us in. After exchanging several words with my parents, that I didn't care to listen to, we moved on. He lead us into the mansion, where we were greeted by a slender woman with dark brown hair. Barely wasting time with introductions the woman, Seraphi, started the tour of her estate. _

_She had long since zoned off and wandered off away from her parents and brother. Lightly stroking the wall she paused, one painting catching her attention. After several moments of admiring the painting she noticed someone across the hallway. Planting a small smile on her lips she walked over and curtsied, _

"_Hello I'm S-"_

Malia shot awake as June shook her shoulder. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, her vision was still blurry. She glared at her roommate, annoyed to have been interrupted. It wasn't the first time she'd had dreams of the redheaded girl. Most of the time nothing happened, it would be an everyday life occurrence. This was the first time she had come close to revealing her name though. Malia sighed and pushed herself up into a sitting position. Plucking her phone from her bedside table she glanced at the clock and her eyes bulged. She had three hours until class and a 5 page paper due. Leaping out of bed she sprinted to get her laptop. She was screwed.

**Thanks for reading all of you. I'm unsure of where this chapter was going, it was more of a filler. I'm trying to lead up to where they will meet. If you want a character in my story please PM me, I'm in need of her friends and I suck at coming up with OC's. Anyways please review, fan and follow. I'll see all of you tomorrow. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

It was a relatively peaceful day and yet Balem already had a headache. One of his lesser planets was set to be harvested tomorrow, but the demand for RegenX was more that it would provide. His only other option was to do a partial harvest of another planet. It was a pain and involved much more care and of course memories would have to be wiped. It wasn't the first time though, many times they would push it off as a major genocide by another country or government. The only country with a population to survive this without outside help was Earth however and that would be a problem.

Even before Abrasax Industries had seeded the planet, it had been a favorite of his mothers. She had built a private villa, overlooking a large ocean and had lived there for many years. Something about it's beauty had captured her and over time even the reptilian beasts had captured her heart. When the planet had captured the public's attention however she knew what she'd have to do. Making sure to protect her home and the area around it she disposed of all the creatures, except for a select few, inhabiting the planet and placed two humans, male and female, there.

She still visited the planet frequently and was known to retreat there when she couldn't take the stress. Balem often joined her, it was difficult for him to admit it but the small planet had a certain charm. It was nowhere near his own though, his planet may not have been conventionally beautiful but instead it was industrial. Which of course had it's own beauty, the metal structures scattered across the planet and it's reddish haze were exactly what made it home.

While she didn't live long past the colonization of the planet, it was her pride and joy. Balem couldn't bring himself to abandon it. He knew that someday it would be harvested and left a barren wasteland, but for now it was precious. It was his last connection to his mother and his greatest potential for overtaking his siblings business ventures. They alone were his greatest competition and soon he would finally achieve his goal.

The harvest would have to wait, he wasn't ready to harvest from Earth, even if it was only a small part. He would give it a few months a most. His clients would have to wait, a few grey hairs wouldn't kill them he supposed. They might disagree, he would probably lose a few of his less dedicated clients to one of his siblings. But he could afford the loss, after all- His thoughts were interrupted by a pounding on the door.

Before he could say anything, the doors burst open and a short man burst through. He was panting slightly and hunched over once in his office. Balem stared at him in disgust, what gave him the right to burst in without invitation? He reclined his his seat, watching the man as he recovered. Several seconds later the man stood and remembering whose presence he was in, he bowed deeply.

"It's Titus, I think he's found her. One of his men made contact." He wheezed, hastily pulled a piece of crumpled paper from his pocket. Balem snached it from his hand and scanned it, his face reddening in rage the further he got. It was a transmission that his men had intercepted. seemed that she was in a small American town. Or who they believed to be her at least, they hadn't gotten genetic proof yet. Dismissing the man he sat, the paper now clenched it his hand. It had been so long since he had last seen her, he could only imagine the effect her return would have on him. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to slip into his memories again.

_The setting sun illuminated his mothers gardens. She sat before him, lounging next to one of the fountains. He watched silently, unsure of what to say. It had been a while since someone his own age had actually wanted to talk to him. She leaned forward dipping her hand in the water before flicking it at him. Jumping back in surprise he tumbled off of his seat and landed on the ground. She laughed and jogged over to him before extending a hand to help him up. Brushing it off he stood on his own, his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. _

_Sitting back down beside him she watched the sunset, content with the silence. Together they sat as the sun set and stars began appearing in the sky. The moon slowly rose and they remained in a comfortable silence, neither feeling the need to talk. Finally a faint call could be heard over the crickets chirping, calling them in for supper. Standing first Balem offered a hand to her. Watching it for several seconds she accepted it and allowed him to help her to her feet._

_They walked at a slow pace as the returned, savoring their last seconds of freedom. As they reached the door she released his hand and strode inside. Navigating through the hall they soon reached the dining hall and joined their families at the table._

"_What took you so long?" Seraphi questioned, Balem frowned slightly and opened his mouth to speak. Selen however beat him and began her explanation. _

"_I felt that my presence wasn't needed earlier and made my own ventures. Balem and I spent the afternoon the in gardens." Turning towards her parents she spoke again, "You always said I'd need connections someday." Returning to her food silence fell over the table momentarily. Until her brother struck up a conversation with the others at the table. _

_Once dinner finished the two families said their goodbyes. Balem and Selene stood to the side, slightly awkward. He was silent, still unsure as of what to say._

"_I hope we get to speak again sometime." She said softly, catching his attention. "Maybe I'll have to escape some other political meeting sometime." She gave him a soft smile and pulled him into a hug, shocking him at her forwardness. "I've always been a hugger." She said sheepishly, seeing the look on his face. _

_"I hope that you fare well until our next meeting." He said simply, giving her a small wave. She nodded and returned to her family. _

Returning to reality Balem scowled and paced his quarters. Titus was so close to locating her and he had no clue where to start. It was his own domain but he couldn't find a simple girl, and yet Titus and his small group of splice trackers had nearly found her. He couldn't allow him to get to her first, otherwise Titus would get the upperhand. His brother was no doubt a master manipulator and often made himself out to be the good guy, simply to get what he wanted. He held much value in material pleasures and possessions. He was unused to being denied, for years he's had his every whim fulfilled either by himself or others. Balem could only imagine the temper tantrum that

would ensue if he were to lose. Perhaps his brother had matured though, it had been years since he had joined him for even a simple dinner. Many times simple conversations would lead to full blown fights and Balem prefered to avoid it when at all possible.

He slammed his fist down on his desk with a scowl, he would not be second! He turned towards his advisor, "I want her found." He hissed, he would not lose. Not to his brother, not again.

**So what do you guys think so far….I will probably only be able to update every other day for the next week or so, as I have finals :( Hopefully I won't fail, I'm hoping to get honer role this semester. Anyways please please review favorite and follow, I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I do writing it. You guys make my day when you review so thank you so so much for this. Have a great day :)**


	8. Chapter 8

The man across the club was familiar. Malia had no clue where she had seen him before but something about him filled her with a sense of deja vu and terror. It was just some random guy at a club, there should've been no reason for him to be familiar. He clearly wasn't collage age, with faint wrinkles lining his face. His brown hair fell over one of his eyes and just barely revealed his other icy blue was faint bruising covering his face and he walked with a limp. He didn't seem to notice her fixation on him. In a way she was almost disappointed, It would've been nice for him to at least look over.

She let out a frustrated sigh and swiveled around, back to facing the bar. She leaned forward and took a sip of her coke, she had refused any offer for something stronger. She felt no need to drink herself to the point of embarrassing herself, unlike her roommate. June was celebrating the end of finals in the only way she knew how, partying. Hopefully Malia would have a room to return to, without one of June's boytoys.

Her friend was a flirt, through and through. It wasn't even intentional most of the time. It came naturally to her, whether she was talking to a boy or a girl. Once it had embarrassed her, but now she had embraced it. She used it to get what she wanted, no matter what it was she could usually charm it out of people. Malia wished she was that lucky, sometimes it would be nice to not have to work to get everything. To pout and have boys running to make her feel better. At the same time she understood how annoying it would get and how many peoples hearts she would have to break.

It wasn't that she wasn't pretty, she was. Her pale skin, red hair and blue eyes paired nicely. It was her attitude that scared people away. She wasn't a trusting person, too many things had happened. People would only hurt her in the end. Not to mention she didn't believe in love anymore, or at the very least she figured it would never happen to her. Things like that never seemed to work out. Whether it was because of her or her boyfriends she wasn't sure.

Malia was about as oblivious as you could get when it came to love. If she wasn't told outright she wouldn't pick up on it and when she was younger it got her in a few tough situations. Several friends whom she had known for years turned out to have feelings for her when she didn't return them. It wasn't their fault she was looking for something else though, Malia wanted something more from men. Something she had yet to find, and the few times she tried relationships it would always end badly.

Finishing her coke, Malia looked around trying to locate her friend. After several seconds of searching she saw her, face smashed up against some other guys. Wrinkling her nose in disgust she sighed, wondering where she would stay for the night this time. Mala stood and grabbed some money from her bag. She then briskly strode towards the door, weaving in between couples. As she got closer towards the doors, raised voices became more obvious. She paused and peered out the entrance. The man she had seen before stood tensely, watching a pair of men arguing with the bouncer. Seeing nothing wrong with the situation, she continued out the door.

The men froze, their gazes fixating on her. They shared a brief look and stepped out of line. Shrugging, Malia continued on her way. She reached the end of the street before stopping. Two pairs of footsteps behind her stopped also and she slowly turned. Coming face to face with the two men from before, she froze. The taller of the two stepped forward. His image flickered slightly, revealing a small bony white creature. Malia paled and began backing away from the two.

"Why don't you come with us, sweetheart." It's voice was slurred and it's image solidified as a man. She wondered briefly if she had imagined things, but dismissed the thought. It didn't matter whether she had or not, as either way she didn't want to be anywhere near the two. She turned and sprinted across the empty street, hearing their heavy footsteps behind her.

She was never a fast runner. In fact in high school she nearly failed PE because of her non existent athletic abilities. She's lost countless games of tag and high school sports had been a nightmare. Now was about to be outran by a pair of drunks and most likely be raped or even killed. Malia wished that she had gone with June to the gym all the times her roommate had offered. Seconds later she was forced to the ground, one of them men laying on top of her. Except it wasn't a man anymore, it had taken on his creature form once again.

She struggled to push it off of her. Her dress constricted her movements however and she found it difficult to move. She was unable to see what was going on above her and scowled, wondering briefly why it hadn't done anything more than tackle her. Something cold and metallic pressed against her neck and was followed by a short sting as a needle pushed past her skin. Moments later it was extracted and creatures let out excited squeals. The one above her shifted slightly and she braced herself to throw it off, all the while wondering what had just happened. Figuring it was better to act now and think later, she surged up and threw the creature off.

It spun through the air, landing on the pavement with a loud thud. The second growled and launched itself at her. She froze, unsure of how to fend it off. It came closer and closer to her face with every passing second and still she didn't move. There was no way that her arm would be enough and she knew it was too late to dodge. Cursing herself silently, she braced herself for the impact.

It never came. Seconds before the creature would have slammed in to her, a blast of light hit the creature in the head. It fell to the ground limply, it's head cracking against the curb. Malia stared wide eyes at the creatures body and slowly looked up at it's attacker. It was the man from the club. He watched her intently, taking in her messy form. Blushing lightly she glanced at the ground, before remembering that there had been another one.

The reminder came too late. As she looked back up she saw the man's eyes widen and was followed by the oddly similar sensation of something heavy colliding with the back of her head.

_It was cold. Snow covered the ground and her breath came out in a hazy white fog. The tree limbs were weighed down with piles of white and icicles hung from the bottoms of them. It was beautiful, in an icy frigid sort of way. It most definitely wasn't her thing though. As she wrapped her cloak tighter arounds she wished the for tropical beaches and even the dry deserts of home. _

_She trailed behind her family as they reached the doors. It was another political meeting of sorts, one with lots of high up officials. Why they had chosen this God forsaken planet was beyond her. The door opened and a rush of heat flooded out into the frigid air. With a sigh of relief she followed her family inside. The manor was elegant and modern, it was simple and looked impeccable. She wondered how long they must have cleaned to get it that way. Or maybe it remained unused and had only needed dusting. _

_Small groups of people had congregated in a large reception room. Most were stand chatting, while several sat in couches nursing cups of what looked like tea. She followed her family silently, knowing better than to speak up. Her family was very particular about her place in these meetings, she often wondered what the point of even coming was. Not that it mattered, she had nothing to say to stuffy officials anyways._

_She took a seat at a small coffee table, keeping her family in sight but making no move to stand with them. A window showed snowflakes lazily drifting down from the gloomy sky, they swept past her view and towards the ground. She yawned rested her head on a hand, and continued watching the snow. After several minutes however, the chair across from her was pulled out. Glancing over she saw a boy who looked to be about her age sitting down across from her. Although when it came to age he could be hundreds of years older than her and she wouldn't be able to tell. He flashed a smile at her and leaned forward, offering her his hand. _

"_I'm Selene Moreland, it;s a pleasure to meet you." She stated, her gaze drifting back towards the window. She wasn't in a people mood, hopefully her would get the hint. He drew her hand up towards his mouth and pressed a light kiss to the back of her hand. Her gaze snapped back towards him and his smile grew,_

"_Titus Abrasax, the pleasure is all mine." He purred, releasing her hand and leaned studied him briefly, it was clear that he was nothing like his brother. He seemed to have a way with words and women for that matter. "Wanna go somewhere else?" He questioned, gesturing towards the door. She thought about it for a moment, debating her options. Seeing no fault in it, she replied._

"_Sure."_

**Well thanks for reading I tried to make it a little longer since I didn't post yesterday. Please review and follow and favorite and such. Thanks everyone, I probably won't post tomorrow again, but after that I should be good. **


	9. Chapter 9

Malia slowly opened her eyes and stretched leisurely. She reached for her blankets absentmindedly before realizing that there were none there. She frowned and quickly glanced at her surroundings. Grey concrete walls stretched up above her with various bars sticking out from it and the room's only window was covered. The room was small and bare, save for the cot she was currently lying on. It was clear that she wasn't home and June was no where in sight.

Malia briefly wondered how she had come to be in the concrete room, last she remembered she had been in the club with June. Her friend had plastered herself to yet another man and had left Malia on her own. Yet, somehow she had gotten here. Perhaps she had been drugged,she couldn't remember anything past nursing her coke at the bar. With a small frown Malia sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. She had to remember, had she been kidnapped? Mentally smacking herself, Malia realized that she had without a doubt been kidnapped. The question was, by who and why?

The door opened with a loud creak, jolting Malia out of her thoughts. A short, plump man waddled in. He paused when he saw Malia and took in her disheveled form. Malia shifted uncomfortably as his gaze lingered on her body.

"Where am I?" She questioned, her face expressionless. Her inner turmoil remained hidden from her captor. He frowned and his eyes trailed upwards towards face.

"It is of no matter to you." His voice was oily and slick. She resisted the urge to shudder. The feeling passed and her gaze flickered towards the open door. A small smile threatened to cross her face as she formulated a plan. If she could somehow distract him long enough, she could get past him into the hallway. Where she would go from there, she wasn't certain. His voice interrupted her thoughts "However, I am to inform you that should you escape or prove to be an problem to us we shall not hesitate to," he paused, a nasty grin appearing on his face, "euthanise that roommate of yours."

"You speak of her like she no more than an animal," She murmured, "What makes you so entitled to think of us as if we are nothing?" Malia frowned, realizing that escaping may not be in her best interest. If she were to manage to get past him, there was no doubt she would be caught once again. Even on the off chance that she made it out unscathed, where would she go? It was clear she wouldn't be able to return to her dorm, and if they knew where she lived than who was to say they didn't know where her friends and family lived.

He let out a small laugh, and Malia resisted the urge to shudder at the sound. He ran a hand through his greasy black hair before pulling a small vial from his pocket. His gaze returned and Malia found herself unable to look away. There was something so predatory in his eyes, coupled with some sick sense of ownership. He opened his mouth as if to explain and she turned before he could. She focused her gaze instead to the small window in the corner. A dark sky greeted her, stars illuminating the dark depths. It was too bright for her to be in the city, light pollution wouldn't allow for such a good view. If anyone were to notice she was missing, it was unlikely they would search away from the city until it was much too late.

"Humanity is nothing more than cattle, do forgive me if my words offend you. However to us you are akin to animals. A single human life amounts to one of these vials." He began, Malia turned back towards him, "This is of little use in such small quantities though. So as I'm sure you can imagine, a single life means nothing to me. Don't think for a moment your life or anyone else's on this miserable planet is worth a moment of my time." Malia felt sick, how could someone be that twisted? She kept her face emotionless, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing how his words had shaken her.

"If I mean nothing, than why did you bring me here. If I'm truly just a 'worthless human' then why didn't you kill me?" Malia leaned back against the wall behind her and crossed her arms. The man gave her no response and instead tucked the vial back into his pocket. He turned and briskly strode back towards the was her last chance to escape. She tensed as if to run, but instead slumped back down on the cot. Oddly enough it felt like something like this had happened before.

_Selene waved goodbye to Titus before slipping out of the room. Over the past few hours they'd talked about anything and everything. It was easy to talk to the other boy, she felt as if she didn't have an image to uphold around him. It was almost as if she could be open and possibly even different from the persona she had around her family. She no longer felt the need to be quiet and reserved as she usually was, instead she could laugh and talk. _

_She turned abruptly, only to find someone in front of her. It was one of the older member at the gathering. He had white, curly hair neatly coiffured to reveal a thin face. It was unusual to find someone with an aged appearance. Most prefered to appear 30 or under in age, a face of perpetual youth. He grinned darkly and reached forward to put an hand on her shoulder._

"_Could I have a word with you," He asked, his voice slick and charming. Selene resisted the urge to shudder._

"_I'm afraid I must be getting back to my parents." She tried to brush his hand off of her shoulder. He tightened his grip and leaned in towards her. She froze as she felt his breath at her ear. _

"_I don't think you're going anywhere, little girl." He hissed. She pulled herself out of his grip and spun around, only to find another man in front of her. His tall frame was clad in a dark black suit that coupled with a pair of fingerless leather gloves. He gripped a small needle, filled with a deep purple liquid. Selene frowned, realizing that it was unlikely that she could escape. With one in front of her and one behind, there was little she could go._

_Figuring risking it would be better than nothing, Selene braced herself to run. After several moments she took her chance and charged forward. She only made it a few steps before the man behind her grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her. With a sharp bark of laughter the one in front strode forward and pushed the needle into her arm. She froze as sharp pain spread through her arm. Coming to her senses she shoved an elbow into the man behind her, he let out a grunt but didn't let her go. _

_Selene slammed her foot down sharply on the man behind her's foot. His grip loosened and she swung around and kneed him in the groin. He went down leaving her room to run, she made it halfway across the room before she began to tire. Each step began to feel as if her legs were made of lead. Black spots appeared in her vision and the room began to swim. Still she continued, albeit at a slower pace. Finally, just inches from the door she fell to the ground. She blinked furiously trying the clear the blackness from her gaze, but it did no good. Her eyes slowly closed and she knew no more._


End file.
